Luzerne County Democrats seek prospective DA candidates

Luzerne County’s Democratic Party is seeking lawyers interested in running for county district attorney in the Nov. 2 general election.

A county Election Board majority had decided the race must be on the upcoming ballot under new state legislation governing DA vacancies, with the county Democratic and Republican party organizations each choosing a contender.

However, all six Republican county council members — a majority of the 11-member body — voted to seek outside legal counsel and a court ruling on whether the DA race must wait until the next municipal election in 2023 so nominees could be selected in a primary.

Despite this uncertainty, county Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Bozinski said the party must move forward based on the election board decision.

“We have to proceed and at least get prepared from our end,” she said.

Campaigning for district attorney countywide is a major undertaking that can’t be instantly launched shortly before the election, she said. Holding off for court adjudication may not leave enough time if the election board’s decision is upheld, she said.

“We have to make sure we have a candidate who can hit the ground running if the race is cleared to proceed,” she said. “We can’t wait anymore.”

The party’s leadership team will interview prospective candidates responding to its solicitation and make a nomination recommendation to the party’s executive committee, which has about 40 members, she said.

Its call for letters of interest makes it clear the candidacy is subject to the outcome of the county’s planned court case.

The party’s selected candidate must be a registered Democrat, county resident and qualified to practice law in the state, with experience in criminal law preferred, the solicitation said.

Letters of interest must be submitted electronically by 5 p.m. Wednesday to Bozinski at [email protected] with the subject line “letter of interest.”

Republicans have a likely contender already in the seat: Sam Sanguedolce.

The vacancy arose because Stefanie Salavantis resigned March 25 to run for county judge. Republican Sanguedolce, previously first assistant DA, was automatically appointed to fill the DA post under the new state legislation.

County Chief Solicitor Romilda Crocamo said the county plans to send notices to political parties in late June or early July about the appointment of DA candidates for the November election.

Candidates would have to be named at least 50 days before the election, which falls around Sept. 12, she said.

The election board has not yet discussed whether the term for the DA elected in November would be two or four years. Crocamo said there arguments in support of both options.

On the issue of the pending litigation, county council is set to vote Tuesday on the selection of an outside law firm.

Council’s Special Election Decision Committee, which was created to search for outside counsel, received proposals from attorneys at two law firms: J. Chadwick Schnee and Tucker R. Hull from the Annville, Pennsylvania-based Law Office of Tucker Hull and Peter J. Adonizio Jr. and Thomas I. Vanaskie from Stevens & Lee, which has an office in Scranton.

After publicly interviewing both Stevens & Lee attorneys and Schnee last week, the committee voted to present both options to council but with a recommendation to select Stevens & Lee.